And with the influx of sunshine should come the brightening of your beauty collection.

I always find myself stuck in a very safe beauty rut. Natural shades, nudes and light browns are where I spend most of my year. A bit boring, isn't it?

If ever there's an excuse to branch out into louder and more eye-popping colours, it's summer. Here are some of my favourite summer shades to play with.

I have a confession to make: I’m afraid of blusher. It’s true; I am afraid I’ll overdo it and look like a drag queen, or else put it in the wrong place and look flushed in a hot-flash sense. But even I would risk throwing on a fab, peachy coloured, velvety soft bit of blush stick. You can’t go wrong with the dewy glow one of those gives your face. Papagena by Catrice Blush Stick, €3.79, selected department stores nationwide.

Another rut I find myself super-glued to is black mascara. I have blue eyes, so I can get away with brown and jewel tones, but I never stray from black. It’s something I’m going to give a try over the summer. MAC has a gorgeous new collection called ‘Flighty’, which is full of beautiful summer colour including a purple mascara. Give it a shot with me? MAC Zoom Mascara in ‘Plum Reserve’, €16.50, MAC counters in Brown Thomas.

I know I said I was trying to get out of the nudes and naturals rut for summer, but I have fallen in love with a new shade of nail polish and it is just perfect for when your makeup is bold enough to do all the talking. It’s called ‘Café Au Lait’ and it’s one of 36 shades recently unveiled by the queen of nail care, Sally Hansen. Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in’'Café Au Lait’, €8.95, selected pharmacies, department stores and grocery stores nation-

If that seems too muted and understated to fit in with your new loud and luminous beauty selection, there is another divine new polish out soon which I can’t wait to get my paws on. Part of the Bourjois summer colour range, it’s the greenest green and will draw in compliments, guaranteed. Bourjois So Laque Ultra Shine in ‘Lime Catwalk’, €7.99, available from June 8 from Superdrug and July 13 from Boots.

Eyes, nails, cheeks all covered; now for the lips. Stains are where it’s at when it comes to dressing your kisser, and Smashbox has some absolutely delicious colours to choose from. They’re great because they give such strong colour and unreal staying power, plus they have a balm on the other end of the applicator to moisturise your lips as well as tint them. ‘Guava’ and ‘Sangria ‘are my favourite shades. Smashbox Lipstains, €26, Debenhams Stores, Arnotts, Clerys, House of Fraser Dundrum and selected pharmacies.